The Demon Barber of Alphabet City
by AlyssaLLBlack13
Summary: The Bohemians get more than they bargained for in London when the Demon Barber returns.But when another character from Sweeney's past comes back, can the Boho gang team up with the violent barber...or will they risk losing one of their own?
1. Prologue pt 1

**Author's Note: Yay for the return of the plot bunnies! Also, RENT and Sweeney playlists make for funny ideas….and lack of sleep makes for a funny intro that has nothing to do with the story. So without further ado, please enjoy _The Demon Barber of Alphabet City_**

_Darkness. He was surrounded by it. Darkness and the loamy smell of earth were all around him. He didn't know how long he'd been sitting in the darkness, holding her. As his eyes grew accustomed to the dark, more smells attacked him. Blood, burned flesh, and even cheap French cologne. 'French cologne?' he thought to himself. He knew of only one person who wore French cologne. Looking around as he slowly stood up, his eyes took in a fact that shouldn't have been possible. 'There was a body there,' he thought. 'He was right there. Where is he? Did the police take the others and leave me to rot?'How long had he been there, anyway? Days? Weeks? He walked into the shop, noting the thick layer of dust over everything. 'Months?' A noise drew his attention to the window. His jaw dropped. 'Years. I've been dead for years.' For outside the window, no longer were there horse-drawn carts and cobbled streets. Now there were horseless vehicles, smooth roads, and an altogether more clean feeling to the street. He'd been dead for many years, he realized now. 'Then why am I alive?'_


	2. Prologue pt 2

Meanwhile, in New York

Roger was trying to doze on the couch when Mark came bursting into the Loft. "Dude, guess what?"

Roger groaned. "Mark, I haven't slept in two days. I'm really not in the mood for guessing games. What?"

"We're going to London!"

Roger frowned. "What?"

"Rog, I just scored five tickets to London: Flat, airfare, transportation, the whole shebang."

"Five?" Roger crinkled his brow. "Mark, there's six of us. Seven, if you count Benny. Who's getting left behind?"

"We count Benny now?"Mark laughed. "I was thinking, well, who wants to go? You, of course, and that means Mimi. Me. Maureen, cause she'll kill me if I don't take her."

"Joanne. Collins will want to stay here. With Angel."

"Alright."

"London, dude? How long?"

"Six months. I'm on assignment, you guys are visiting."

"Cool."Roger rolled back over. "I'm going to attempt to get some sleep. No calls."

"Okay."

He (Mark) peeked into Roger and Mimi's room, where Mimi was seated cross-legged on the bed, paper spread in front of her. She looked up when Mark cleared his throat."Hey. What's up?"

"Start packing, we leave in two weeks."

Mimi frowned. "To where?"

"London. Six months. Us three, Mo and Joanne."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, it's all paid for. Courtesy of Photographer Today. I'm on assignment."

"Six months."

"For five people."

Mimi smiled. "You tell Rog?"

"Yeah. Speaking of Roger, why hasn't he been sleeping lately?"

"No idea. He never comes to bed anymore. He hardly talks to me. He's worried about something."

"Hmm. Let me talk to him. But I've gotta call Mo."

"Okay. I'm sure Rog is fine, though."


	3. Dreams of the Demon

Two Weeks Later

"Oh my god, it's perfect! Let's call it the Flat!" Maureen gushed. "It looks just like the Loft!"

Roger laughed. "Yeah, if you added about six rooms to the Loft." Roger had gotten more cynical in the last few weeks, but the group just assumed it came from lack of sleep.

Maureen smiled. "You can laugh, Davis, but I think it's just perfect."

"Yeah, we've got three bedrooms, a guest room, two bathrooms and a half-bath, a full kitchen, living room, TV…the works." Mark already had the camera out. "Plus roof access, Rog.

Mimi smiled. "Leave him alone, guys, he just needs sleep."

Joanne nodded. "Come on, Mo, let's go find Hyde Park."

Mark smiled. "I gotta find Photography Today London division. Pronto. Rog, you need to relax. Maybe you and Mimi could check out some romantic locations and…you know."

"No." Roger shook his head. "I just need sleep." He turned to Mimi. "Why don't you check out the romantic spots, and I'll come visit it with you later."

Mimi nodded. "Okay. Please get some rest."

After the rest of the gang left, Roger curled up on the couch, the only piece of furniture sent over from the Loft. He turned the TV on for background noise, leaving it on the news program that was in progress. He vaguely caught snippets of a news report about a serial killer that was on the loose, but didn't really catch enough to care. For the first time in three weeks, Roger fell asleep.

_Roger's dream_

_He was through waiting. He took up his old profession, and people came to him. He was careful, though. Take too many, and people would notice. Don't take enough, and the lust would get worse. He had taken three already, and had left only one unfinished, laying under a parapet of the nearby church. The city was having a field day with that. He smiled to himself as he slit the fourth throat, a local undertaker, ironically enough. He wanted to kill. Revenge hadn't been enough. He loved the thrill of the murder, the blood spewing forth as he sliced a gaping smile into their throats. He had grown accustomed to the thrill; Mrs. Lovett had seen to that. Shame that was, that he'd had to kill her. The blood spewed, and as it did, there came a noise from downstairs. He jumped, having grown used to silence and solitude. Then, taking the blade, he slipped downstairs to the old shop. Seeing the girl, he dropped the knife, startling her. She saw nothing, but all the same, she chose to turn and flee the shop. _

_He followed her, but grew distracted by the sound of someone behind him. Turning, he saw someone who looked like Turpin…his anger grew, and he forgot the girl. He thought only of his rage. Even when the man turned, and clearly wasn't Turpin, he was blinded by rage. He stabbed blindly, and the blood flowed. He continued to stab, and hack and slice, until the blood covered his face, and the innocent man lay dead. Staring, he began to smile. Sweeney Todd was back and he was better than he had ever been._

Roger woke with a start. He had clearly seen the murder, and he knew that this wasn't a random dream. He had seen that for a reason, and he knew it. The man was dead, but he knew that he needed to protect the girl he'd seen. Forgetting about his promise to meet Mimi, he set out to find the girl in his dream before she became the Demon's next victim.

_**A/N: So…good, huh? Get ready, because it's about to get better. Who is the girl in Roger's dream? And why is she is danger from the Demon Barber? Find out….**_


	4. The Demon and Lylli

It didn't take long for Roger to find Fleet Street, and he recognized the shop instantly. "May as well start here," he muttered. However, as he approached the shop, he saw something that made his heart stop for a moment. The mutilated body of the victim he'd seen in his dream lay beside the shop's door. Gulping, he stepped around it and into the shop. Noticing the rusty butcher's knife laying on the dirty table, he seized it. "For protection," he decided.

The small room didn't take long to examine, so Roger went into the room next to it. It had a homey, lived-in feel to it, but everything was covered in a layer of dust. Nothing out of the ordinary. Roger proceeded to the cellar doors and pulled them open. Immediately, he was hit by the smell of decay. Bracing himself, he went in the large cellar. The oven stood ominously in the center, but he wasn't drawn to that. He noted the dried blood everywhere, and the fresh bodies piled in the corner. He repressed a shudder, but decided not to explore the place. Slipping back upstairs, he realized that the only place left to explore was the room above the shop.

Steeling himself, Roger headed up the stairs. He entered the room carefully. An ancient-looking trunk stood in the corner, a chair in the middle. Nothing else adorned the room. He moved to examine the chair, and as he did, he became aware of movement behind him. He turned. Behind him, wearing an insane grin stood the Demon Barber himself. Roger tightened his grip on the butcher knife.

"Come for a shave, have you boy?" Sweeney pushed Roger towards the chair, which creaked as Roger was forced into it. "Everyone needs a shave."

Roger felt the knife in his pocket, which helped him find his courage. "No sir, I think there's been a mistake. I'm from the City Historical Department. We've had some complaints about this building not being declared a historical landmark. In fact, it's slated for demolition." He had no idea where this was coming from; he just knew he had to derail Sweeney enough to escape. "I'm here to determine whether or not this building meets the qualifications to be declared a landmark."

It worked. Sweeney was confused. Stepping back, he allowed Roger enough room to get out of the chair. Roger stood, backing towards the door slowly. "Tell me, sir, what historical things have happened in this building?" He reached the door, and placed a hand on the knob, ready to bolt.

Sweeney placed the blade down, turning to face Roger. "There was a barber and his wife. She was beautiful, and he was…"he turned, looking towards the picture window.

Roger didn't waste a moment. Turning the knob, he pushed the door open and bolted from the room. By the time Sweeney realized his mistake, Roger was long gone.

Once he was far enough away from Fleet Street, Roger slowed to a walk. Passing a large, ornate house, he paused to catch his breath. A window opened, and someone's head poked out of it. The man glared at Roger. "Away with you, boy! They've already taken Johanna away from me. There's nothing left to take from me, and I could kill you where you stand."

Rolling his eyes, Roger walked away from the house. Turning the corner, he bumped into someone. Looking up, he recognized the girl from his dream. "You!"

She looked up. Shock crossed her face. "Excuse me sir, I don't believe we've met." She bent down to gather her things: a notebook, tape recorder, and a file crammed full of paperwork.

Roger bent down to help her. "No, we haven't met. But I have reason to believe you are in danger. I'm Roger Davis. Listen, were you down on Fleet Street about two hours ago?"

"Yes, I was." The girl's British accent became more clipped and pronounced, she was flustered. "I don't see what it has to do with you, however."

"Some strange shit is going on down there. Someone is murdering, and I know who. I saw him, he tried to kill me."

The girl looked at him. Her expression became curious, and she stood up. "Name's Lylliana Moore. Call me Lylli. I think you and I need to have a talk, Mr. Davis."

Roger shrugged. "I'll do whatever you say, as long as you come with me."

Lylli handed him the file folder. "Look through this when we get wherever it is we're going. You'll see something that will shock and amaze you beyond reasoning."


	5. A Cry in the Night

-----Back at the Flat-----

Roger flipped through Lylli's file while she scribbled something down in her notebook. He frowned. "Sweeney Todd? As in, the Stephen Sondheim musical? Lylli, you've been researching this for how long?"

"Five years." Lylli glanced up. "And looking at those files, you've got to admit that he had to exist. Think about it, Roger. You saw him, just today."

"Maybe. Maybe it was a wannabe. Someone who saw the play…"

"Roger, look at those facts. All the unexplained disappearances. Besides, if you check the census from 1789, there was in fact a Benjamin Barker born." She showed him a piece of information. "And this court file from 1810 shows that the barber Benjamin Barker was transported for life."

"Transported?"

"Arrested and sent to Australia. That's where they always used to send convicted prisoners, if the offense didn't warrant a hanging."

"What was the charge?"

"It says here that he was convicted of extortion and fraud. But if the story holds, he was falsely accused and convicted. No one ever heard from Benjamin Barker again."

"Then how…

"Benjamin Barker was never heard of, but sixteen years later, in 1826, there was record of a new barber in town, a Mr. Sweeney Todd. When Todd showed up, the disappearances began. He went undetected for half a year, and then his crimes were reported by a Tobias Ragg. Todd's body was discovered down in the bakehouse of Mrs. Lovett's Meat Pies not long after, along with those of Judge Turpin, the Beadle Bamford, and Lucy Barker. The remains of Drusilia Lovett were found in the oven. "

"But you're telling me he died in 1826. Why do you think he's behind the new killings?"

"Four people have vanished in the same manner: they went in for a shave, and were never heard from again. One body has been recovered."

"He's claimed five, there's a new body outside the shop." Roger shuddered at the memory. "When I went there to find you. He found me in the barbershop. I'm lucky I was even able to escape."

"You were. But how did you know to look for me?"

"I had this dream…it was so realistic…that I just knew it wasn't a random image…and I had to save you."

"Is that why you never bothered to find me?" Roger turned. Mimi stood in the doorway, glowering at Roger. "Who is she, Roger?"

Roger sighed. "Mimi…listen to me. It's all gonna sound really weird, but I promise, there is a really good explanation for this."

"Who. Is. She?" Mimi glared at Roger.

Roger looked at Mimi. "Meems, Lylliana Moore. Lylli, this is Mimi."

Lylli smiled at Mimi. "Hello, Mimi. Roger's helping me with a case I've been working on. I'm sorry if you thought something else was going on here, but I'm not after your boyfriend."

Roger looked at Mimi. "Listen, she's in danger. Mimi, we have to help her with this. Please?"

Before Mimi could answer, Lylli suddenly frowned. "I've got to go. Roger, I'll call you later, okay?" Before Roger could answer, Lylli was gone.

Mimi glared at Roger. "You were supposed to meet me, Roger. You were going to take a nap, and then meet me."

"Mimi…"

"No, don't bother. I'm going to bed. You can sleep on the couch tonight."

Roger turned back to the table, trying to figure out how to appease Mimi. It was then he noticed that Lylli had forgotten her things.

o0o

Lylli hurried through the streets. She had just passed the old home of Judge Turpin when she heard the sound of crying. She rushed towards it.

The sound was coming from a dark alley. Lylli frowned; it sounded familiar. As she went to investigate, she heard a sharp intake of breath. She looked towards it, and was caught of guard when two dark, familiar eyes looked back into hers. A familiar voice whispered, timidly, "Lylliana?"

Lylli felt her own breath leave her lungs in a gasp. She knelt down to be face to face with the boy, who instantly threw his arms around her. She instinctively wrapped her own around him. "Toby? What are you doing here?"

_**A/N: How does Lylli know Toby? More importantly, how does Toby know Lylli? And what is the Demon up to? Find out in the next few chapters!**_


	6. Lylli's Revelation

Lylli took Toby's hand. The poor boy had to be scared half to death, being on his own in modern-day London. He clung to her gratefully. "Lylli, where are we? What is this place?"

Lylli pulled the boy in close to her. "Toby, love, don't be afraid. I'm here now, and I'll take care of you." They reached Lylli's apartment, and Lylli led Toby inside. "Love, do want something to eat?"

Toby nodded, gratefully. "Yes, mum. What kind of place is this?"

Lylli went to her small kitchen, busying herself over the stove. "Toby, we're still in London, but we're almost two hundred years in the future from when everything happened." She turned off the stove. "Here we are. Beef stew."

Toby began to eat hungrily. Lylli sat down next to him. "Sweetie, how did you get here?"

Toby shrugged. "I don't know, mum. I remember going away with Johanna and Anthony, and they were kind to me. But I got lost when we came back to London, and then I was in this strange place, and then you were there. But how did you get here?"

"You know, love, I never did figure that out. I just decided that it had to be for a reason, but I don't know what that reason is." 

Both she and Toby jumped when her bell rang. "Who's there?" Lylli called.

"It's Roger."

Lylli jumped up. "Come in."

The door opened. Roger held her files in his hands. "You left these at our flat. I figured you needed them back." He looked at Toby. "Who is this?"

Lylli smiled. "Roger, this is Toby, my younger brother. He's a bit frightened right now."

"I can see that." Roger looked at Toby. "Okay, I'm not stupid. You haven't told me everything. What's going on? I mean, as far as I know, you could be working with him."

Lylli glared. "Oh, that's a far cry from earlier." She mimicked his voice. "'You could be in danger; you have to let me help you.' Now you're accusing me of working for him?"

"After looking at some of this information, it's the only conclusion I could come to!"Roger pulled a file from the stack. "1826. Pending investigation. As to the whereabouts of one Lylli Annette Lovett." Roger threw the file at her. "The police wanted to speak to her about her role in the strange disappearances happening in Sweeney Todd's tonsorial parlor."

Lylli scoffed. "And you think that I'm a girl that went missing over a hundred years ago?"

"It makes perfect sense!" Roger looked from Lylli to Toby and back. "Lylli, listen to me."

"No." Lylli went to Toby, putting her arms around him. "I'm not dealing with this. It's not what you think."

"What do I think, then?"

"You're jumping to conclusions, okay?" Lylli started to pull Toby to his feet. "Come on, bedtime."

"No." Toby pulled away from her. "Lylli, why are you lying to him? You don't want him to know that Mrs. Lovett was your mother? Or is there something else you're trying to hide from me?"

Lylli was caught off guard. "Toby…" She looked at Toby, and then to Roger. "Sit down. It's a long story."

Roger and Toby both obliged, and Lylli took a deep breath; then began. "I always knew it would come to nothing good. What Sweeney was doing was wrong, but I was afraid. I had hoped that the Judge would be enough for him, but he developed a taste for killing." She closed her eyes, continuing to speak as the images of her former life flooded her head. "Business was never better, and I knew it. We had never had so many customers, and Mrs. Lovett was happier than I'd ever seen her. Between helping her downstairs with the pie shop, and helping Sweeney upstairs, I was constantly working. I spent any free time I had in the bakehouse. I knew what was going into the pies, and I knew what we were doing to keep the law away."

Toby's eyes were wide as dinner plates. "You were helping him?"

Lylli looked at the floor. "Toby, I was afraid. I didn't know what he would do if I tried to stop him, and I knew that if anything happened to me, Mrs. Lovett would be heartbroken."

"So?" Roger was glaring at her now. "You'd rather save yourself than innocent lives?"

"What was I supposed to do, Roger? He was watching my every move like a hawk."

"And? So you'd have risked your life to save others. But you chose not to. You chose to stand by and watch him murder people. Or were you actually helping him with the killing part? Kill the witnesses, maybe?"

Lylli's hand flew up before she could stop herself, and she slapped Roger hard across the face. "You have no idea what you're talking about." 

Roger just shook his head. "You know what? You are exactly like him. So I don't care if he finds you and kills you. You deserve whatever you get." He stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Lylli turned to face Toby. "Toby, honey, I'm sorry you had to…"She trailed off. Toby was nowhere to be found.


	7. Toby and the Bohemians

_**Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait on that last chapter. A lot of stuff came up, and I didn't have a chance to finish it for ages. I should be able to keep updating now, though. Anyway, a special thanks goes out to my partner in crime for helping me with this chapter. I promise, there'll be more killing soon! Hey, have you ever noticed how much Roger looks like Anthony? Interesting…**_

Mimi was gone when Roger got back. He sighed. "Great, that chick has fucked up my relationship too. Mimi probably thinks I'm cheating on her."

"Davis, are you talking to yourself?" Maureen appeared behind Roger in the doorway. "You know what they say. First sign of insanity, talking to yourself."

"Shut up, Johnson." Roger moved out of the door so Maureen could come in. "Mimi's pissed at me, in case you couldn't figure that out by her being gone."

"Pissed at you? Roger, I'm pissed at you. Mimi has us all out combing London for you. She's worried sick, you asshole. You just vanish, no note?"

"Sorry, there was this…complication."

"Complication?"Maureen raised her eyebrows. "What kind of complication?"

"Something I had to deal with, ok?"

"Roger?" Mimi's voice echoed from the hallway.

"Yeah, I'm here, Meems." Roger braced himself as Mimi flung herself into his arms. 

"Don't you ever vanish on me like that again, Roger Davis! I swear to god…"

Roger felt the sly grin creep across his face. "I guess you're just going to have to punish me then, aren't you?"

Mimi giggled. "Roger…"

"Ew! God, please strike me down or something!" Maureen made retching noises to indicate that she was still in the room. "Right here. Grossed out."

"Sorry, Mo." Mimi smiled. "Call Mark and Joanne, let them know Roger's not dead in a ditch somewhere."

"Do they have ditches in London?" Roger wondered aloud. 

"Not that I saw." Mark entered the room. "Hey, who in this room wants to get the guest bedroom ready? We've got a kid, apparently."

"A kid?" Roger turned. At the same time, Toby huffed. "I'm not a kid!"

"Toby!" Roger frowned. "Why aren't you at Lylli's?"

"You know him?" Mark gave him a confused look. 

Mimi glared. "Oh, you went to her."

"Mimi…one, I just met this chick today. Two, for all I know, she's a mass murdering psycho bitch. Three, do we have to do this in front of the twelve year old boy standing in our living room?"

"Why do you think she's a mass murdering psycho bitch?"Mimi was still frosty, but she had stopped glaring.

"I can't really explain it. Trust me; you would all think I've lost it." He turned back to Toby. "We need to get you back. Lylli will be worried sick. Funnily enough, I think she actually cares what happens to you."

"Why would she care if I go back? So she can hide more things from me, and get angry, and maybe hit me? Why would I want to do that? I've gone through it enough as is."

"Toby…" Roger began. He sighed. "Alright, you can stay the night, but in the morning, we're going back to Lylli's, okay?"

"You can't make me." Toby's voice was stubborn.

"She'll be worried about you."

"So?" Toby then looked down and said quietly, "She knows everything I've been through. She shouldn't have lied to me."

"I don't think she meant to lie to you. Did she ever once directly say she wasn't helping him?"

"She was hiding things from me. Like I hadn't gone through enough of that at the Workhouse and then with Pirelli. "

"Maybe you two should talk."

"She doesn't even care. There were so many times she could have told me. Everyone knew but me. They all treated me like I was stupid. Why should I trust her when she hid such an important thing from me? She'll just hurt me again. They always do. I thought this was different, but I was wrong."

Before Roger could think up a response to Toby, Maureen jumped from her perch on the couch. "Hey, has anyone heard from Joanne lately? She's not answering her phone."

Mark frowned. "Last I saw her; she was heading to check out the Hard Rock Café. They have Hendrix memorabilia; she thought Roger might be there."

Maureen nodded. "Alright, I'm going to look for her. I'll be back later."Maureen walked out.

Roger turned to talk to Toby again, but he was already curled up on the couch, sleeping. He sighed, scooping him up and carrying him to the guest room. Once Toby was settled in bed, Roger went back to the living room and picked up the phone. He dialed Lylli's number, having written it down. It rang several times before her voice mail picked up. "You've reached Lylliana Moore. I'm not in right now, but if you leave your name, number, and a reason for your call, I'll get back to you ASAP."

Roger sighed. "It's Roger. I'm calling about Toby. I wanted to let you know that he's here, and he's safe, but he's really upset with you. Can you call me in the morning? I think we all need to talk." He hung up. If he'd known where she'd gone that night, he might have gone after her. 


	8. The Demon's Revenge

Lylli almost turned back several times as she headed for her destination that night. _What the hell was I thinking? Coming to Fleet Street in the middle of the damn night? I'm such an idiot._ Her thoughts were cut short as the shop loomed in front of her. "'Mrs. Lovett's.' They still haven't changed the name of this place after all these years." She glanced up, seeing the shadow moving about the upstairs in the candlelight. Sweeney still didn't sleep. She took a deep breath, and then walked into the shop.

Up in the shop, the Demon Barber was concentrating on his work. He turned to his customer, a young man who looked vaguely familiar. _Like Anthony_, he thought. He lathered the man's face with shaving cream, then sharpened the razor. The young man looked rather nervous, and Sweeney couldn't help but chuckle. "First shave, sir?"

"First time with the straight razor, Mr.…um…"

"Todd." Sweeney dropped the strop; it was still attached to the chair. "Sir, I can guarantee the closest shave you will ever know. You won't even feel a thing." This one hurt; Sweeney was planning on letting him go. He began to work, humming softly. "_Pretty women, blowing out their candles or combing out their hair, even when they leave, they still are there, they're there."_

The man twisted to look at Sweeney, and Sweeney had to yank the razor back to avoid slitting his throat. "Yes, sir?"

"That song…it's from Sweeney Todd, isn't it?"

"Ah, yes, sir, it is. I often enjoy singing as I work." He turned the man around and began to work again.

Just then, a voice echoed up the stairs. "Mr. Todd?"

Sweeney dropped the razor. "I know that voice."

"Mr. Todd?" The man looked worried. "Are you finished?"

"What? Oh, yes, of course sir."Sweeney threw the towel at him. "That will be £6, sir."

The man handed him the money along with the towel, then made a hasty retreat from the shop. 

Lylli passed the man on her way up. _At least he remembers to let some go. _She pushed the door open. "Mr. Todd."

Sweeney turned, the shock registered in his eyes. "You should be dead."

Lylli nodded. "So should you. I watched you die."

"Yes…" Sweeney was thoughtful. "So I'm here, and you're here. Who else is here?"

"No one."

Sweeney put the razor down; surprisingly, he had always liked Mrs. Lovett's girl. She'd been nearly four when he'd been arrested, and his Lucy had always loved her. She was nineteen when he'd returned; she had to be almost twenty-one now. "Lylli, you're a horrid liar. Always have been." 

She flinched when he smiled; it looked unnatural on his face. He stifled a laugh. "Lylli, relax, I'm not going to hurt you. Okay, forget the others. Why are you here?"

"I was looking for…"

"Don't tell me. Mrs. Lovett. You should have seen…"

"I did." Lylli's voice turned acidic. "Mr. Todd, you forget, I saw everything you did, everyone you killed. I covered for you. Even after you died, I wasn't the one that went to the law. I had plenty of opportunities, and I never once did. I protected you."

Sweeney's expression turned dark. "And now you think you'll go to the law? I don't think so."

Lylli recognized the look in Sweeney's eyes, the crazed bloodlust. She backed towards the door, grateful she'd chosen to stand near it. However, Sweeney was faster, and she'd just barely managed to wrench it open when Sweeney grabbed her and forced the door closed again. She screamed just as he placed his hand over her mouth. "Relax, my pet, this won't hurt a bit." He shoved her into the chair. Holding her there with one hand, he bent to grab the razor, when someone tackled him, forcing him to release Lylli. He caught himself in time to keep from sprawling to the floor and spun. 

A large, very angry looking black woman stood in front of the chair, blocking his way to Lylli. He glared. "Out of my way, woman!"

The woman subtly dropped her wallet into Lylli's lap. In an undertone, she whispered "There's an address in the billfold. If I don't get out of here, go there and look for Maureen Johnson." When Lylli nodded acknowledgement, the woman turned back to Sweeney. "You'll have to go through me."

Sweeney raised his eyebrows. He enjoyed a challenge, and this woman certainly was one. "I think I can do that." 

The woman positioned herself so that Lylli had room to run. "Go!" she hissed. "Now!" 

Lylli didn't wait to be told again, but she stopped on the landing outside, watching the scene unfold as she looked at the woman's id. "Joanne Jefferson." She looked back up, into the shop. Joanne was definitely holding her own. 

As she watched, however, something in Sweeney changed. He slumped to the ground, loosening his grip on the razor. Joanne, despite the fact that she was fighting to save the life of someone she barely knew, went to his side. As she did, Lylli caught the maniacal smile that slid across Sweeney's face. She gasped. "Joanne, don't…"

She didn't have time to finish her warning. As the first words were leaving her lips, the razor flashed silver, then crimson, and Joanne fell to the ground. Her throat was slashed so deeply, her head was almost severed from her neck. Lylli's mouth fell open, and Sweeney turned to her. She felt her legs turn to jelly, as though she were going to faint. But she stood her ground, staring into his crazed eyes. He watched her for a moment, then turned. "Go, I'm not going to stop you. Forget what you just saw, if you can. Never come to my shop again."

Lylli didn't think twice. Before he could change his mind, she was gone. 


	9. Turpin's Return

Author's Note: Sorry for the cliffie in the last chapter…I had to do it

_**Author's Note: Sorry for the cliffie in the last chapter…I had to do it. I couldn't resist the urge. So…**_

Lylli had no idea how long she ran or how far she'd gone when she finally stopped. She looked around, trying to determine where she was. She was surrounded by large, ornate houses, more ornate then she had ever seen. She finally managed to determine that she was near Hyde Park. Once she'd caught her breath, she pulled the address from Joanne's wallet. She glanced at it for only a moment when the door of the nearest house opened. She looked up, and her breath caught. _Everyone keeps coming back from the dead today, don't they? _

Judge Turpin was a mess. His usually spotless clothing was filthy and ragged, and his hair was disheveled. He was covered in dried blood, and Lylli knew he hadn't bathed or changed clothes since he died. She also knew she shouldn't have stayed where she was, but somehow, the adrenaline of escaping Sweeney's bloodlust had her internal common-sense toggle momentarily disabled. She stayed put when he glared aimlessly in her direction. He met her eyes, but didn't seem to notice that he was actually looking at someone.

Lylli watched the Judge warily. She wasn't sure what he'd do if he actually realized she was there, and she didn't really want to find out. She began to walk away, and Turpin's eyes snapped to her. In that instant, she realized that he was more aware than he was letting on. In less then a minute, he had straightened up to regain his old, regal bearing, and even though he was covered in blood and his hair was filthy, he looked cleaner, dignified and judiciary. He also looked saner then he had a moment ago. His eyes met hers, and they showed recognition.

He smiled, and like Sweeney, the sight sent shudders down her spine. However, she smiled back, hoping that maybe he would return to his previous, unaware state, and she could vanish.

No such luck. He moved forward, towards her. "I recognize you. You're the girl from Fleet Street. The one who worked in the pie shop. You used to come here to visit my Johanna."

"Yes sir." Lylli instinctively averted her eyes. Some habits died hard, and showing respect for her betters was one. "Lylli Lovett, sir. Daughter of Drusilia Lovett."

"Yes. You were there when I adopted Johanna, after the unfortunate deportation of her father and tragic disappearance of her mother. You won't remember, you were young at the time."

"Yes sir."

"Well, its not safe for a young girl to be wandering the streets after dark in this town. You should come in."

"Thank you sir, but I'm heading home right now."

"Well, come inside for a moment while I get cleaned up, child. Allow me to walk you home."

"Sir…" Lylli didn't see how she could refuse politely, and after her run-in with Sweeney, having a walking companion didn't seem so bad. But she'd heard the tales of Judge Turpin, and she really didn't want his company after her incident.

She was spared the internal debate, however, when she heard a voice call out "Lylli!"

Turpin scowled as Lylli turned. "Anthony Hope, wasn't it? You took my Johanna away from me."

"Nope, sorry." Roger rushed up to Lylli's side. "Name's Roger Davis, not Anthony Hope. I've been looking for Lylli everywhere."

"You know each other?"

Roger cut Lylli off before she could reveal that they'd only known each other for a few hours. "Sure, sure. I've known Lylli here for years. I was worried sick about her. When she didn't come home after her rehearsal--" Roger was grateful for his couple years in drama, he was really good at improvising-- "I had to come find her."

"Well, I was just about to walk her home."

"Thank you, really, but there's no need. I can get her from here." Roger gently steered Lylli away from the house, and Turpin did not follow.

As soon as they were around the corner, Roger stopped. "Do you have a death wish or something? I went to your place, and you weren't there. I was on my way to Fleet Street to find you. You know there's a murderer on the loose over there."

Lylli nodded. "Yeah, I know. He just tried to kill me."

Roger studied her face. "Shit, you're not kidding. How'd you get away?"

"I was rescued. The other woman didn't make it."

"Lylli, you've got to go to the police. He has to be…what is that?" Roger had just noticed the wallet within Lylli's grasp.

Lylli shoved it into his hand. "Her wallet. Joanne Jefferson, that was her name."

"Shit!" Roger muttered several more choice curses. "Come on, we have to get back to the Loft."

"Why?" Lylli was confused.

Roger grabbed her arm. "No time to explain now. Just come on."


	10. Truths

A/N: Sorry for the prolonged absence, guys

_**A/N: Sorry for the prolonged absence, guys. I was called by other projects, involving other characters. But I'm back now, and so is Sweeney! (Forgive me for taking liberties with characters, but Sondheim did not provide certain details I need!) **_

Sweeney paced the shop, the body of the dead woman sprawled in front of him. He knew he had to get rid of her. He was expecting another client soon, and Lylli was bound to go to the police. "Why did I let her go?" he muttered. "I should have known she'd run to the police as soon as she got the chance. Why didn't I kill her?" He knew the reason, though. He couldn't bring himself to hurt her. In his crazed bloodlust, when she'd threatened to bring the law, he would have, but after Joanne had saved her, his bloodlust had waned. He couldn't hurt the damned girl.

The Demon Barber swore under his breath. Lylli was a girl, a child, really, alone in the world. The two of them were the only ones in this time, a disturbing coincidence that he didn't like. He could kill her easily, and be done with the problem. She was the only living person who knew of his crimes. "No," he realized. "That boy, the one who looked disturbingly like Anthony, he knows too. He came looking for answers, and I revealed too much. I'll have to kill him as well."

He'd never do it, though. In truth, his taste for blood was almost satisfied. He had lost his taste for killing. It resurfaced occasionally, but mostly, he killed methodically. He killed because he was bored, and because it was all he knew anymore. He wouldn't kill Lylli, and he wouldn't kill the Anthony look-alike, because his thirst for vengeance had been satisfied many years ago with the death of Drusilia Lovett.

He sighed, and began the task of moving the body into the old trunk. He would clean up the blood later, he reasoned, after hiding the body and getting some sleep.

o0o

"What the fuck do you mean she's dead?" Maureen was close to hysterical, and her voice was low and threatening. "My Joanne can't be dead. She's always been a survivor."

"Maureen, calm down, please." Roger was sitting on the arm of the couch, Mimi's head in his lap. "We need to hear Lyle's story before we can judge anything. She alone knows what happened."

Lylli nodded. "I went to see if I could find Toby, I didn't know he was here. We got to talking, and he went crazy. He was going to kill me."

"But he just decided to kill Joanne instead?" Maureen glared.

Lylli shook her head. "No, she saved my life. I wish she hadn't been killed, but she saved me. She fought him, giving me a chance to run. But I couldn't leave her. She heldher own well, but Sweeney got the upper hand. He pretended to collapse and…"

"And Joanne went to his aid." Maureen shook her head. "She was always a humanitarian."  
Lylli nodded. "I never even had a chance to warn her properly. He reached up and slit her throat. Her head was almost severed from her neck, he sliced so deeply. I thought he was going to come after me, but he told me to go."

Maureen sighed. "I just…I'm sorry, but I wish you had died instead of her." She fled the room in tears.

"Maureen!" Mark gasped. "That was…"

"Let her go." Lylli sighed.

"She has no right to be angry with you!" Mark protested.

"She has every right to be angry with me. She's hurt, and she is blaming the easiest target. It happened to be me."

Roger bit his lip. "We should go after here. The last thing we need is her going down to Fleet Street seeking revenge." He looked at Mark. "Damn your bosses for sending us here. This wouldn't have happened in New York."

"It might have, actually. They just picked the wrong time to send us out here. How were they supposed to know that there was a serial killer on the loose?"

"I'm not saying…" Roger stopped, realizing that he was close to yelling. "Mark, I'm not saying that they should have known about this."

"Guys!" Lylli stood up. "I'm not worried about her finding Todd. I'm more worried about what happens if she finds her way to Hyde Park."

"Why…" Roger began, but then he remember how he had found Lylli trying to make excuses to get away from a crazed-looking man. "Who was that? He seemed…well, nuts."

"Alastair Turpin. More commonly known as Judge Turpin. He's always been unstable, from stories I heard over the years. It looks as though the last hundred or so years have not been kind to him. He hasn't bathed since he died, I'd wager."

"This is still kind of weird." Mimi, who hadn't spoken up much, finally lifted her head from Roger's lap. "You know, the fact that you claim to have been born over a hundred years ago. How do we know you're not just nuts or something?"

"We have to trust her." Mark answered. "What choice do we have? She obviously knows more about this case than we do, and she can help us."

Roger nodded. "I'll go look for Maureen."

Lylli stood. "Let me come with you."

"No." Roger shook his head. "Lylli, you're exhausted, I'm sure. You've been through hell and back tonight. Please, rest."

Lylli started to argue, and then thought better of it. "Alright, you win."

Roger smiled. "Good." He faced Mimi. "I won't be all night."

"Where are you going to look?" Mimi asked.

Roger took a deep breath. "Fleet Street. I'm going to look on Fleet Street."


End file.
